Electrochemical Reduction of Carbon Dioxide at Surface Oxidized Copper Electrodes

Carbon dioxide a common greenhouse gas is converted to value added products such as methane and ethane by electrochemical reduction at a surface oxidized copper electrode. The product yield and the relationships between the surface chemistry and reaction behavior were investigated. Ethane was observed as a dominant product at the surface oxidized Cu electrodes suggesting that Cu (I) species play a critical role in selectivity towards C2 species.